255 research outputs found

    Nursing interventions in the care of patients undergoing induced hypothermia

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    Use of induced hypothermia for the purpose of lowering intracranial pressure and preserving neuronal function has increased as research data reveals a trend of positive outcomes in patients treated with this therapy. Recently induced hypothermia following cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation has been deemed successful. Current research has expanded to evaluate the effectiveness of induced hypothermia as a treatment modality for severe stroke and head trauma. In spite of its efficacy, complications exist with this treatment modality. The purpose of this literature review is to examine potential complications secondary to induced hypothermia and highlight the nurse\u27s role in managing patient care. At the present, patient protocols for induced hypothermia are lacking. The success of treatment is largely dependent on the skill of the healthcare team to prevent further harm and enhance therapeutic outcomes by providing astute assessment and management of complications in patients undergoing induced hypothermia. The desired outcome of this review is to promote integration of research in the development of evidence-based protocols for induced hypothermia

    Investigating the presence, form and behavior of virtual possessions in the context of a teen bedroom

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    Over the past several years, people have acquired more and more virtual possessions. While virtual possessions have become ubiquitous, little work exists to inform designers on how these growing collections should be displayed and how they should behave. We generated four design concepts that changed the form and behavior of these digital things, making them more present within a teen bedroom. We then conducted speed dating sessions [9] to investigate how these new forms and behaviors influence perceptions of value. Sessions revealed how new technologies might better support self-exploration and reflection, as well as how they could complicate identity construction processes. Findings are interpreted to detail opportunities and tensions that can guide future research and practice in this emerging space

    Time-domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy

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    Physiological monitoring of oxygen delivery to the brain has great significance for improving the management of patients at risk for brain injury. Diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) is a rapidly growing optical technology able to non-invasively assess the blood flow index (BFi) at the bedside. The current limitations of DCS are the contamination introduced by extracerebral tissue and the need to know the tissue's optical properties to correctly quantify the BFi. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a new technology for time-resolved diffuse correlation spectroscopy. By operating DCS in the time domain (TD-DCS), we are able to simultaneously acquire the temporal point-spread function to quantify tissue optical properties and the autocorrelation function to quantify the BFi. More importantly, by applying time-gated strategies to the DCS autocorrelation functions, we are able to differentiate between short and long photon paths through the tissue and determine the BFi for different depths. Here, we present the novel device and we report the first experiments in tissue-like phantoms and in rodents. The TD-DCS method opens many possibilities for improved non-invasive monitoring of oxygen delivery in humans

    The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

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    The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

    A Meta-analysis of Multiple Myeloma Risk Regions in African and European Ancestry Populations Identifies Putatively Functional Loci

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    Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in European populations have identified genetic risk variants associated with multiple myeloma (MM)

    The future of biotic indices in the ecogenomic era: Integrating (e)DNA metabarcoding in biological assessment of aquatic ecosystems

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    The bioassessment of aquatic ecosystems is currently based on various biotic indices that use the occurrence and/or abundance of selected taxonomic groups to define ecological status. These conventional indices have some limitations, often related to difficulties in morphological identification of bioindicator taxa. Recent development of DNA barcoding and metabarcoding could potentially alleviate some of these limitations, by using DNA sequences instead of morphology to identify organisms and to characterize a given ecosystem. In this paper, we review the structure of conventional biotic indices, and we present the results of pilot metabarcoding studies using environmental DNA to infer biotic indices. We discuss the main advantages and pitfalls of metabarcoding approaches to assess parameters such as richness, abundance, taxonomic composition and species ecological values, to be used for calculation of biotic indices. We present some future developments to fully exploit the potential of metabarcoding data and improve the accuracy and precision of their analysis. We also propose some recommendations for the future integration of DNA metabarcoding to routine biomonitoring programs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Multi-site assessment of the precision and reproducibility of multiple reaction monitoring–based measurements of proteins in plasma

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    Verification of candidate biomarkers relies upon specific, quantitative assays optimized for selective detection of target proteins, and is increasingly viewed as a critical step in the discovery pipeline that bridges unbiased biomarker discovery to preclinical validation. Although individual laboratories have demonstrated that multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) coupled with isotope dilution mass spectrometry can quantify candidate protein biomarkers in plasma, reproducibility and transferability of these assays between laboratories have not been demonstrated. We describe a multilaboratory study to assess reproducibility, recovery, linear dynamic range and limits of detection and quantification of multiplexed, MRM-based assays, conducted by NCI-CPTAC. Using common materials and standardized protocols, we demonstrate that these assays can be highly reproducible within and across laboratories and instrument platforms, and are sensitive to low µg/ml protein concentrations in unfractionated plasma. We provide data and benchmarks against which individual laboratories can compare their performance and evaluate new technologies for biomarker verification in plasma

    The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

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    The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
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